Growth inhibition of pancreatic cancer by targeted delivery of gemcitabine via fucoidan-coated pH-sensitive liposomes

Fucoidan-coated pH sensitive liposomes were designed for targeted delivery of gemcitabine (FU-GEM PSL) to treat pancreatic cancer (PC). FU-GEM PSL had a particle size of 175.3 f 4.9 nm, zeta potential of-19.0 f 3.7 mV, encapsulation efficiency (EE) of 74.05 f 0.17%, and drug loading (DL) of 21.27 f 0.05%. Cell experiments in vitro showed that FU-GEM PSL could increase the release of GEM and drug concentration, and could inhibit tumor cell proliferation by affecting the cell cycle. FU-GEM PSL entered cells through macropinocytosis and caveolin-mediated endocytosis to exert effects. Meanwhile, the expression of P-selectin was detected in human tissues, demonstrating the feasibility of targeting FU. Moreover, combined with animal experiments in vivo, FU- GEM PSL could inhibit the development of PC. Furthermore, anti-tumor experiments in vivo carried on BALB/c mice indicated that FU-GEM PSL had tumor suppression abilities and safety. Therefore, FU-GEM PSL is a promising formulation for PC therapy.